Two Grand County High School students recently joined other students from across the state for Utah State University’s Engineering State program. Jacob Francis and Adam Jenkinson were among the 209 Utah students who excel in math and science who were invited to participate in the program held in Logan, June 10-13, according to a news release from USU.

The intensive four-day program introduces high school students throughout the region to the engineering profession, and is sponsored by USU engineering alumni, school district foundations, engineering firms, and businesses. Students participate in a variety of Challenge Sessions taught during the week.

Among the 19 hands-on, competitive Challenge Session exercises, students wrote a computer game, designed computer algorithms, learned about code-breaking, engineered algae to produce bioproducts and biofuels, and isolated spider silk-making genes to produce huge quantities of spider silk and learn about synthetic spider silk research. They also learned how to manipulate DNA to change the smells of fruits, put together a small steel bridge and tested its structural soundness, built personal speakers, designed a computer out of only a ping pong ball and a telephone, designed their own aircraft out of balsa wood, and scaled 90-foot walls, according to the news release.

Engineering professors at USU donate their time to introduce students to their profession and challenge them in exercises which use math and science to solve physical problems.

For more information about the Engineering State program, contact Kathy Phippen, program coordinator, at 435-797-2843.

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